UPPER TOWNSHIP -- A three-hour standoff

involving various law enforcement agencies ended peacefully early Saturday morning.

The suspect, Christopher D. Riley, 39, of 422 Township Road 336, Ironton, was arrested and charged with domestic violence. Additional charges may be sought Monday after Lawrence County Sheriff's deputies are able to confer with the Lawrence County Prosecutor's Office.

According to information from the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence call at 422 Township Road 336

(Hankins Hollow Road) at 11:44 p.m. Friday.

Upon arrival, deputies were told by a female victim that her husband was in the home and had threatened to harm law enforcement should they arrive. The subject was reportedly armed with an AK47 assault rifle and a 9-millimeter handgun.

With only two deputies on patrol, immediate assistance was provided by the Coal Grove Police Department. Officers established a perimeter around the home and waited for additional officers to arrive at the scene.

Sheriff Tim Sexton and six other deputies from the sheriff's office came to the scene as Deputy Steve Cartmell was negotiating with Riley to exit the home unarmed, according to the release.

"Deputy Cartmell's actions were very instrumental in this incident ending peacefully without injury to anybody," Sexton said.

The sheriff's office also sought additional negotiating assistance from James Howard of the South Point Police Department. Additional negotiations were completed by telephone, and just before 3 a.m., Riley agreed to exit the home unarmed and sit on the porch with his hands placed to his head. He was approached at the front porch and taken into custody without any struggle.

Inside the home, deputies located a handgun and two assault rifles with fully loaded clips, according to the release. Those items were confiscated as evidence from the scene.

Sexton lauded the efforts of all officers involved, noting there was a professional working relationship with a unified effort to resolve the standoff peacefully.